Switched capacitor amplifier with high throughput architecture

ABSTRACT

A switched capacitor amplifier includes a pair of output capacitors, providing high throughput suitable for pipestaged circuit applications. During operation, the amplifiers may generate an evaluation output once per clock cycle. During a first clock cycle, one of the two output capacitors holds an evaluation potential to be output from the amplifier and the second output capacitor both precharges and evaluates. During a second clock cycle, the roles of the output capacitors reverse and the second output capacitor holds the evaluation potential and the first output capacitor precharges and evaluates. The invention is suitable for use with a variety of amplifier topologies.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0001] The present document claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of commonly owned, co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Serial No. 60/333,518 filed Nov. 28, 2001, entitled SWITCHED CAPACITOR AMPLIFIER WITH HIGH THROUGHPUT ARCHITECTURE, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The present invention relates to switched capacitor amplifiers and applications therefor.

[0003] Switched capacitor amplifiers are known. Typically, they include one or more input branches each having an input capacitor selectively switched to an input voltage source and a reference voltage source. The branches may terminate at a second terminal of their respective input capacitors, which may be input to a first terminal of an operational amplifier (colloquially, “op amp”). An output capacitor may bridge between an output of the op amp and the first terminal thereof. A second terminal of the op amp may be tied to ground.

[0004] Operation of the traditional switched capacitor amplifier consumes two cycles of a driving clock signal. During the first cycle, the amplifier precharges and evaluates, generating a potential across the output capacitor. During the second cycle, the potential of the output capacitor is held at the amplifier output while another circuit element samples it.

[0005] The two-cycle operation of the switched capacitor amplifier is disadvantageous, particularly in pipestaged applications where a number of the switched capacitor amplifiers may be tied to one another in a cascaded relationship. If an input potential were applied to a first stage during a first cycle, an output would be available to the second stage in a second clock cycle. The first stage, however, could not accept a new input until the third clock cycle and could not generate a second output until the fourth clock cycle. This delay reduces throughput of an entire pipestaged system; it would be far better for a switched capacitor amplifier to generate an output in each and every clock cycle of operation.

[0006] While it would be possible to use existing architectures for switched capacitor amplifier to generate an output in each clock cycle, it would be necessary to increase the size and bulk of the components thereof, notably the op amp and output capacitor. Increased size and bulk of these components also would be disadvantageous. Larger components consume more power and are difficult (at least, expensive) to manufacture in integrated circuits. Accordingly, there is a need for a new architecture for switched capacitor amplifiers that can achieve increased throughput while permitting small component size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a diagram of a switched capacitor amplifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a timing diagram illustrating control signals that may be applied to the amplifier of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009]FIG. 3 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier of FIG. 1 during time T₁₀, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010]FIG. 4 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier of FIG. 1 during time T₁₁, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011]FIG. 5 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier of FIG. 1 during time T₁₂, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 6 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier of FIG. 1 during time T₁₃, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013]FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a circuit switched amplifier according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 8 is a timing diagram illustrating clock signals that may be applied to the amplifier of FIG. 7 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015]FIG. 9 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier of FIG. 7 during time T₂₀ according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0016]FIG. 10 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier of FIG. 7 during time T₂₁ according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 11 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier of FIG. 7 during time T₂₀ according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0018]FIG. 12 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier of FIG. 7 during time T₂₁ according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019]FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a pipestaged analog to digital converter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention provide a switched capacitor amplifier that finds application in a pipestaged analog to digital converter. During operation, the amplifiers may generate an evaluation output once per clock cycle. By comparison, traditional architectures of switched capacitor amplifiers generate evaluation outputs once every two clock cycles. The amplifiers include a pair of output capacitors. During a first clock cycle, one of the two output capacitors holds an evaluation potential to be output from the amplifier and the second output capacitor both precharges and evaluates. During a second clock cycle, the roles of the output capacitors reverse and the second output capacitor holds the evaluation potential and the first output capacitor precharges and evaluates. The switched capacitor amplifiers are ideal for application in high throughput circuits such as pipestaged analog to digital converters.

[0021]FIG. 1 is a diagram of a switched capacitor amplifier 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The amplifier 100 may include an operational amplifier 110 and one or more input branches 120-140 (only three branches are shown in this representative example) each having a capacitor 150 (shown only for the first branch 120). The amplifier 100 includes a pair of capacitors 160, 170 each having a predetermined capacitance C_(out).

[0022] Each input branch i may include its own capacitor 150 having a capacitance C_(i). A first terminal (node 180) of the capacitor 150 may be connected to a first input potential V_(in) via a first switch S₁ and to a second potential V_(ref) via a second switch S₂. A second terminal (node 190) of the capacitor may be coupled to ground via switch S₃. In practice, a single ground switch S₃ may be coupled to capacitors 150 from all input branches 120-140.

[0023] A first terminal of the first capacitor 160 forms an intermediate node 200 that is connected to node 190 via a switch S₄ and to a first input of the operational amplifier 100 (node 210) via a switch S₅. A second terminal of the first capacitor 160 forms another intermediate node 220. The intermediate node 220 may be connected to the V_(in) potential via a switch S₆ and to an output of the operational amplifier 100 (node 230) via a switch S₇.

[0024] A first terminal of the second capacitor 170 forms another intermediate node 240 that is connected to node 190 via a switch S₈ and to the first input of the operational amplifier 100 (node 210) via a switch S₉. A second terminal of the second capacitor 170 forms another intermediate node 250. The intermediate node 250 may be connected to the V_(in) potential via a switch S₁₀ and to the output of the operational amplifier 100 (node 230) via a switch S₁₁.

[0025] Typically, an output 230 of the amplifier 100 is coupled to a load 260 having its own impedance. The impedance of the load is represented as C_(L).

[0026]FIG. 2 is a timing diagram illustrating control signals that may be applied to switches of amplifier 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Switch S₁ and S₃ may be controlled by a 50% duty cycle clock CLK₁ having a predetermined clock rate. Characteristics of other clock signals illustrated in FIG. 1 are described with reference to the CLK₁ signal, which shall be called the “base clock” for the instant discussion. Switches S₂ and S₃ also may be controlled by 50% duty cycle clocks having the same rate as the base clock CLK₁. The clock CLK₂ for switch S₂ may be inverted with respect to the base clock CLK₁ (or delayed with respect to it by one-half a clock cycle). The clock CLK₃ for switch S₃ simply may be a replica of the base clock.

[0027] Clock CLK4 controls switch S4. CLK4 may be a 50% duty cycle clock, one that has half the clock rate of the base clock. Thus, FIG. 2 illustrates clock CLK4 being high for the periods beginning at times T₁₀ and T₁₁ and being low during the periods beginning at times T₁₂ and T₁₃.

[0028] Clock CLK5 controls switch S5. CLK₅ may be a 50% duty cycle clock, one that has half the clock rate of the base clock. CLK5 may be delayed with respect to CLK4 by one-half a cycle of the base clock. Thus, FIG. 2 illustrates CLK5 being low during time T₁₀, being high during times T₁₁ and T₁₂ and being low during time T₁₄.

[0029] Clock CLK6 controls switch S6. The CLK6 clock may be a pulsed clock, one that is high for one phase of the base clock and low at all other times. The CLK6 clock is shown as being high during time T₁₀ and low during times T₁₁-T₁₃.

[0030] Clock CLK7 controls switch S7. CLK₇ may be a 50% duty cycle clock, one that has half the clock rate of the base clock. CLK₇ may be delayed with respect to CLK₄ by one-half a cycle of the base clock. Thus, FIG. 2 illustrates CLK₇ being low during time T₁₀, being high during times T₁₁ and T₁₂ and being low during time T₁₄.

[0031] Clock CLK8 controls switch S8. Clock CLK8 may be a 50% duty cycle clock that is inverted with respect to the S₄ clock. Thus, FIG. 2 illustrates the S₈ clock being low during times T₁₀ and T₁₁ and high at times T₁₂ and T₁₃.

[0032] Clock CLK9 controls switch S9. Clock CLK9 may be a 50% duty cycle clock that is inverted with respect to the S₅ clock. Thus, FIG. 2 illustrates clock CLK₉ as high during time T₁₀, low during times T₁₁ and T₁₂ and high again at time T₁₃.

[0033] Clock CLK10 controls switch S10. Clock CLK10 may be a pulsed clock, one that is high for one phase of the base clock. FIG. 2 illustrates clock CLK10 being low during times T₁₀ and T₁₁, high during time T₁₂ and low again during time T₁₃.

[0034] Clock CLK11 controls switch S11. Clock CLK11 may be a 50% duty cycle clock that is inverted with respect to the S₅ clock. Thus, FIG. 2 illustrates clock CLK₁₁ as high during time T₁₀, low during times T₁₁ and T₁₂ and high again at time T₁₃.

[0035] In the amplifier of FIG. 1, the switches S₁-S₁₁ may be controlled to be closed (conductive) when the clocking input thereto is high and open (nonconductive) when the clocking input is low. Table 1 below illustrates the response of these switches in response to the inputs illustrated in FIG. 2: TABLE 1 T₁₀ T₁₁ T₁₂ T₁₃ T₁₄ Switch S₁ Open Closed Open Closed Open Switch S₂ Closed Open Closed Open Closed Switch S₃ Open Closed Open Closed Open Switch S₄ Open Open Closed Closed Open Switch S₅ Closed Open Open Closed Closed Switch S₆ Open Closed Closed Closed Open Switch S₇ Closed Open Open Closed Closed Switch S₈ Closed Closed Open Open Closed Switch S₉ Open Closed Closed Open Open Switch S₁₀ Closed Closed Open Closed Closed Switch S₁₁ Open Closed Closed Open Open

[0036]FIG. 3 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier 100 during time T₁₀, according to an embodiment of the present invention. At this time, the switches essentially split the amplifier 100 into two separate circuit stages 300, 310. Switches S₁ and S₆ are closed, placing first terminals of the capacitors 150, 160 in contact with the input potential V_(in). Switches S₃ and S₄ also are closed, placing second terminals of the capacitors 150, 160 in contact with ground. Thus, each capacitor 150, 160 charges until the potential drop across each is equal to V_(in). This circuit connection precharges the capacitors 150, 160.

[0037] Simultaneously, switches S₉ and S₁₁ are closed, creating an output loop of the amplifier from capacitor 170 and the load capacitor C_(L) 260. Thus, any potential developed across the capacitor 170 prior to time T₁₀ is transferred to the load capacitor 260. During this time, the potential of the capacitor 170 is said to be “held” for sampling by the load.

[0038] During time T₁₀, switches S₂, S₅, S₇-S₈ and S₁₀ are open. These switches cause the two sub-circuits 300, 310 to be isolated from one another during time T₁₀.

[0039]FIG. 4 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier 100 during time T₁₁, according to an embodiment of the present invention. During this time, the switches S₂, S₄, S₅ and S7 are closed, providing an evaluation path from V_(ref) to the output terminal (node 230) that traverses capacitors 150 and 160. During this time, the output voltage at the output terminal 230 is: $\begin{matrix} {V_{out} = {\frac{C_{1} + C_{out}}{C_{out}}\left( {V_{in} - V_{ref}} \right)}} & (1) \end{matrix}$

[0040] Switches S₁, S₃, S₆, S₈, S₉, S₁₀ and S₁₁ all may be open during time T₁₁.

[0041]FIG. 5 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier 100 during time T₁₂, according to an embodiment of the present invention. During this time, in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 3, the switches essentially divided the amplifier into two sub-circuits 400, 410. Switches S₁ and S₁₀ are closed, placing first terminals of the capacitors 150, 170 in contact with the input potential V_(in). Switches S₃ and S₈ also are closed, placing second terminals of the capacitors 150, 170 in contact with ground. Thus, each capacitor 150, 170 charges until the potential drop across each is equal to V_(in). This circuit connection precharges the capacitors 150, 170.

[0042] Simultaneously, switches S₅ and S₇ are closed, creating an output loop of the amplifier 100 from capacitor 160 and the load capacitor 260. Thus, the potential developed across the capacitor 160 during time T₁₁ is transferred to the load capacitor 260. During this time, the potential of the capacitor 160 is held for sampling by the load 260.

[0043] During time T₁₂, switches S₂, S₄, S₆, S₉ and S₁₁ may be open. These switches cause the two sub-circuits 400, 410 to be isolated from one another during time T₁₂.

[0044]FIG. 6 illustrates circuit response of the amplifier 100 during time T₁₃, according to an embodiment of the present invention. During this time, the switches S₂, S₈, S₉ and S₁₁ may be closed, providing an evaluation path from V_(ref) to the output terminal (node 230) that traverses capacitors 150 and 170. During this time, the output voltage at the output terminal 230 may be governed by equation 1 above. Switches S₁, S₃, S₄, S₅, S₆, S₇ and S₁₀ all may be open during time T₁₁.

[0045] Returning to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the architecture of the amplifier 100 advantageously permits an evaluation potential to be available to a load 260 once per clock cycle. Thus, it can contribute to higher throughput in a pipelined processing structure such as a pipelined analog to digital converter. In a first clock cycle, one of the output capacitors (say, 160) holds its output for the load 260 while the other capacitor 170 precharges and evaluates. The precharging capacitor 170 holds its output for the load in the next clock cycle, while the first capacitor 160 precharges and evaluates. By contrast, traditional circuit switched capacitor amplifiers have only one output capacitor. They may operate according to a two clock cycle pattern in which a first cycle is consumed precharging and evaluating across the capacitor and a second stage is consumed holding the output for the load.

[0046]FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a circuit switched amplifier 800 according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the amplifier 800 may include an operational amplifier 810 and one or more input branches 820-840 each having a capacitor 850. The amplifier 800 also may include a pair of output capacitors 860, 870.

[0047] Each input branch i may include its own capacitor 850 having a capacitance C_(i). A first terminal (node 880) of the capacitor 850 may be connected to a first input potential V_(in) via a first switch S₂₁ and to a second potential V_(ref) via a second switch S₂₂. A second terminal (node 890) of the capacitor may be coupled to ground via switch S₂₃. In practice, a single ground switch S₂₃ may be coupled to capacitors 850 from all input branches 820-840.

[0048] A first terminal of the first output capacitor 860 forms an intermediate node 900 that may be connected to node 890 via a switch S₂₄. A second terminal of the first capacitor 860 forms another intermediate node 910. The second intermediate node 910 may be connected to ground via a switch S₅ and to an output terminal 920 of the amplifier 800 via another switch S₆.

[0049] A first terminal of the second capacitor 870 forms another intermediate node 930 that is connected to node 890 via a switch S₂₇. A second terminal of the second capacitor 870 may forms another intermediate node 940. The intermediate node 940 may be connected to ground via a switch S₂₈ and to the output terminal 920 via a switch S₂₉.

[0050] As in the amplifier of FIG. 1, the output terminal 920 may be coupled to a load 930 which may be characterized by its own load impedance (C_(L)).

[0051]FIG. 8 is a timing diagram illustrating clock signals that may be applied to the switches of the amplifier 800 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Switch S₂₁ may be controlled by a 50% duty cycle clock CLK₂₁ having a predetermined clock rate. The characteristics of the other clock signals in FIG. 8 are described with reference to the CLK₂₁ signal, which shall be called the “base clock” for the instant discussion. Switches S₂₂ and S₂₃ also may be controlled by 50% duty cycle clocks having the same rate as the base clock CLK₂₁. The clock CLK₂₂ for switch S₂₂ may be inverted with respect to the base clock CLK₂₁ (or rendered out-of-phase with respect to it). The clock CLK₂₃ for switch S₂₃ simply may be a replica of the base clock.

[0052] The clock CLK₂₄ for switch S₂₄ may be a pulsed clock having a period that is twice the period of the base clock CLK₂₁. The clock CLK₂₄ may be high at all times except one half a clock cycle of the base clock. In the exemplary timing diagram of FIG. 8, the CLK₂₄ signal is shown as low during time T₂₃.

[0053] Clock CLK₂₅ controls switch S₂₅. It may be a 50% duty cycle clock that has a period that is twice the period of the base clock CLK₂₁. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 8, the CLK₂₅ clock is shown as high during times T₂₀ and T₂₁ and low during times T₂₂ and T₂₃.

[0054] Clock CLK₂₆ controls switch S₂₆. It also may be a 50% duty cycle clock that has a period that is twice the period of the base clock CLK₂₁. The CLK₂₆ is inverted with respect to the CLK₂₅ clock (or out-of-phase with respect to it).

[0055] Clock CLK₂₇ controls switch S₂₇. CLK₂₇ also may be a pulsed clock, one that has a period that is twice as long as the period of CLK₂₁. CLK₂₇ is shown as high at all times except during one half a clock cycle of the base clock. CLK₂₇ is out-of-phase with respect to the CLK₂₄ clock by one half of its period. Thus, in the exemplary timing diagram of FIG. 8, the CLK₂₇ signal is shown as low during time T₂₁.

[0056] Clock CLK28 controls switch S₂₈. Clock CLK28 controls switch S₂₈. It may be a 50% duty cycle clock that has a period that is twice the period of the base clock CLK21. The CLK28 clock is out-of-phase with respect to the CLK25 clock by a full cycle of the base clock CLK21. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 8, the CLK28 clock is shown as high during times T₂₀ and T₂₁ and low during times T₂₂ and T₂₃.

[0057] Clock CLK29 controls switch S₂₉. It also may be a 50% duty cycle clock that has a period that is twice the period of the base clock CLK21. The CLK29 is inverted with respect to the CLK25 clock (or out-of-phase with respect to it). The CLK29 clock also may be out-of-phase with respect to the CLK26 clock by a full cycle of the base clock CLK21. TABLE 2 T₂₀ T₂₁ T₂₂ T₂₃ T₂₄ Switch S₂₁ Open Closed Open Closed Open Switch S₂₂ Closed Open Closed Open Closed Switch S₂₃ Open Closed Open Closed Open Switch S₂₄ Open Open Open Closed Open Switch S₂₅ Open Closed Closed Open Open Switch S₂₆ Closed Open Closed Closed Closed Switch S₂₇ Open Closed Open Open Open Switch S₂₈ Closed Open Open Closed Closed Switch S₂₉ Open Closed Open Open Open

[0058]FIG. 9 illustrates circuit response at time T₂₀ according to an embodiment of the invention. The switches cause the amplifier 800 to be divided into multiple sub-circuits 900, 910 and 920 that are isolated from one another.

[0059] A first sub-circuit 1000 includes the input capacitor 850. Switches S₁ and S₃ each a closed creating a conductive path from V_(in) to ground. The input capacitor 850 precharges during time T₂₀.

[0060] A second sub-circuit 1010 may extend from the load capacitor to ground via one of the capacitors 870. Switches S₂₃, S₂₇ and S₂₉ each may be closed to establish the conductive path of this second sub-circuit. During time T₂₀, a voltage developed across the output capacitor 870 may be held for the load capacitor.

[0061] A third sub-circuit 1020 may be formed around the second output capacitor 860, placing both terminals 900, 910 thereof at ground. This third sub-circuit 1020 discharges the second capacitor 860 in anticipation of an evaluation phase.

[0062] During time T₂₀, switches S₂₂, S₂₆ and S₂₈ may be open to sever conductive paths between the sub-circuits. In the illustration of FIG. 9, node 890 is shown as being shared among the three sub-circuits 1000, 1010 and 1020. If desired, additional isolating switches may be introduced to the amplifier 800 to further isolate the sub-circuits.

[0063]FIG. 10 illustrates circuit response at time T₂₁ according to an embodiment of the present invention. During this time, switches S₂₂, S₂₄ and S₂₆ may be closed, establishing a conductive path between the V_(ref) input terminal and the output terminal 920 of the op amp 810 traversing the output capacitor 860. During time T₂₁, the amplifier evaluates, causing a voltage to be created across the output capacitor 860 according to: $\begin{matrix} {V_{out} = {\frac{C_{1}}{C_{out}}\left( {V_{in} - V_{ref}} \right)}} & (2) \end{matrix}$

[0064] During time T₂₁, the switches S₂₁, S₂₃, S₂₅, S₂₇, S₂₈ and S₂₉ may be open. These switches isolate the V_(in) terminal, the second output capacitor 870 and ground from the evaluation path shown in FIG. 10.

[0065]FIG. 11 illustrates circuit response at time T₂₀ according to an embodiment of the invention. The switches cause the amplifier 800 to be divided into multiple sub-circuits 900, 910 and 920 that are isolated from one another.

[0066] A first sub-circuit 1200 includes the input capacitor 850. Switches S₁ and S₃ each a closed creating a conductive path from V_(in) to ground. The input capacitor 850 precharges during time T₂₀.

[0067] A second sub-circuit 1210 may extend from the load capacitor to ground via one of the capacitors 870. Switches S₂₃, S₂₇ and S₂₉ each may be closed to establish the conductive path of this second sub-circuit. During time T₂₀, a voltage developed across the output capacitor 870 may be held for the load capacitor.

[0068] A third sub-circuit 1220 may be formed around the second output capacitor 860, placing both terminals 900, 910 thereof at ground. This third sub-circuit 1220 discharges the second capacitor 860 in anticipation of an evaluation phase.

[0069] During time T₂₀, switches S₂₂, S₂₆ and S₂₈ may be open to sever conductive paths between the sub-circuits. In the illustration of FIG. 11, node 890 is shown as being shared among the three sub-circuits 1200, 1210 and 1220. If desired, additional isolating switches may be introduced to the amplifier 800 to further isolate the sub-circuits.

[0070]FIG. 12 illustrates circuit response at time T₂₁ according to an embodiment of the present invention. During this time, switches S₂₂, S₂₄ and S₂₆ may be closed, establishing a conductive path between the V_(ref) input terminal and the output terminal 920 of the op amp 810 traversing the output capacitor 860. During time T₂₁, the amplifier evaluates, causing a voltage to be created across the output capacitor 860 according to: $\begin{matrix} {V_{out} = {\frac{C_{1}}{C_{out}}\left( {V_{in} - V_{ref}} \right)}} & (3) \end{matrix}$

[0071] During time T₂₁, the switches S₂₁, S₂₃, S₂₅, S₂₇, S₂₈ and S₂₉ may be open. These switches isolate the V_(in) terminal, the second output capacitor 870 and ground from the evaluation path shown in FIG. 12.

[0072] In the discussion of FIGS. 1-12, it has been assumed that the various switches are rendered conductive in response to a high clock state. Such switches may be provided, for example, as switching transistors of the PMOS. Of course, it will be appreciated that an identical circuit response may be achieved by using complementary switching types (such as NMOS transistors) and also inverting the signal levels of the various clocks input thereto. Thus, the selection of device types and clocking schemes may be varied to suit individual design needs and to integrate different embodiments of the amplifiers into a larger overall design.

[0073] The switched capacitor amplifiers described in connection with the foregoing embodiments are useful in high-bandwidth applications such as pipestaged circuits. In a pipestaged circuit, a series of circuit elements typically are provided in a cascaded series. Input data signals are presented to an input of a first circuit element during a predetermined phase of a driving clock signal. The first circuit element presents output signal(s) to an input of a second circuit element at a predetermined time later, typically at the next clock cycle. During this second clock cycle, new input signals are presented to the input of the first circuit element for a second iteration of processing. Thus, during each clock cycle, it is expected that new input data may be presented to the cascaded circuit. Data input during prior clock cycles essentially “march” though the cascaded series of circuit elements, each data element advancing from one circuit stage to the next during each clock cycle, until the data reach a terminal circuit element and exits the pipestaged circuit.

[0074] The amplifiers described in the foregoing embodiments are particularly suited to pipestaged applications. As shown in Table 3 below, data may be input to and output from the amplifier during every cycle of a driving clock. Thus, while the individual capacitors advance through a precharge-evaluation-hold progression that is distributed across multiple clock cycles, the amplifier as a whole may be integrated with a pipestage circuit having timing requirements that require single cycle operation. TABLE 3 Clock Cycle n Clock Cycle n + 1 Clock Cycle n + 2 Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 1 Phase 2 Input Terminal New Data — New Data — New Data — (V_(ref)) Presented Presented Presented Output Terminal Output Data — Output Data — Output Data — Presented Presented Presented First Capacitor Precharge Evaluation Hold — Precharge Evaluation Second Capacitor Hold — Precharge Evaluation Hold —

[0075]FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a pipestaged analog to digital converter (“ADC”) 1300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ADC 1300 may include a sample/hold circuit (“S/H”) 1310 and a cascaded series of converter pipestages 1320-1340. Of course, while only three pipestages 1320-1340 are illustrated in FIG. 13, the number of pipestages may vary as may be desired to meet individual design criterion. Each converter pipestage (say, 1320) may include an ACD block 1330 and a multiplier/digital to analog converter block 1340. ACD blocks 1330 are known per se, they sample input analog voltages and generate a binary signal representing the magnitude thereof to within a predetermined granularity. For example, an ACD block 1330 may be configured to generate a three bit digital signal (bits B₁ B₂ and B₃ for example) representing an input analog voltage in a range between zero and one volt.

[0076] MDAC blocks 1340 also are known per se. An MDAC scales an input analog voltage by a predetermined scaling factor and generates an output analog voltage that represents a different between the scaled input voltage and a voltage represented by the binary digits output from the corresponding ADC block 1330.

[0077] Continuing the example provided above, an ADC 1330 that samples a 1 volt range and generates a three bit digital output therefrom can detect voltage differences within 0.125 of a volt (½³ volts). Hypothetically, if an input signal of ⅔ volts were input to the first pipestage 1320, the ADC would generate a digital pattern of “101,” representing ⅝ of a volt, the closest value that the ADC can detect that is below the voltage of the input signal. Based on the “101” value output from the ADC, the MDAC subtracts 0.625 volts from the original input voltage and scales the remainder according to the sampling range of the ADC in the next pipestage 1330. For example, if the next ADC also is configured to sample an input potential between zero and one volts, the MDAC 1340 may scale the remainder by a factor of eight:

V _(out)=8*(V _(in) −V _(ADC))   (4)

[0078] A comparison between equations 1-3 and equation 4 demonstrates that the desired scaling may be accomplished by varying relative values of the input and output capacitors.

[0079] In equation 4, the V_(ADC) term may vary from clock cycle to clock cycle; the V_(ref) term of equations 1-3 do not. However, corresponding variations in the V_(ref) term may be introduced thereto. Returning to FIG. 1, it may be seen that, in each input branch, the coupling between the V_(ref) potential and the input capacitor 150 via a control switch S₂. To accommodate the varying reference potential of 4, the switch S₂ of each input branch may be controlled by a signal that is a logical combination of the clock signal CLK2 and one of the bit signals output from the ADC 1350. Equation 1, for example, becomes: $\begin{matrix} {{V_{out} = {\frac{C_{1} + C_{out}}{C_{out}}{\underset{i = 1}{\sum\limits^{N}}\left( {V_{in} - {B_{i} \cdot V_{ref}}} \right)}}},} & (5) \end{matrix}$

[0080] where B₁=1 or 0 and N represents the number of input branches of the amplifier. The amplifier of FIG. 7 and equations 2 and 3 may be modified similarly. Equations 2 and 3 become: $\begin{matrix} {V_{out} = {\frac{C_{1}}{C_{out}}{\underset{i = 1}{\sum\limits^{N}}\left( {V_{in} - {B_{i} \cdot V_{ref}}} \right)}}} & (6) \end{matrix}$

[0081] again, where B₁=1 or 0 and N represents the number of input branches of the amplifier.

[0082] Several embodiments of the present invention are specifically illustrated and described herein. However, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the present invention are covered by the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention. 

We claim:
 1. A switched capacitor amplifier, comprising: at least one input branch, an operational amplifier having an input terminal coupled to the input branch, a pair of output terminals, each coupled to the input terminal and to an output of the operational amplifier.
 2. The switched capacitor amplifier of claim 1, wherein the input branch comprises a capacitor switchably coupled to a reference voltage source and to an input voltage source.
 3. The switched capacitor amplifier of claim 1, wherein a second input terminal of the operational amplifier is coupled to ground.
 4. A switched capacitor amplifier, comprising: an operational amplifier having a pair of input terminals and an output terminal, and a pair of capacitors, each coupled to the same input terminal and to the output terminal.
 5. The switched capacitor amplifier of claim 4, further comprising: an input branch circuit, and control means, governed by a clock signal, to create logical circuits from the input branch circuit and the two capacitors, in which: during a first clock cycle, the logical circuits comprise a precharge circuit path traverses the input branch and one of the capacitors and an evaluation circuit path traverses the second capacitor, and during a second clock cycle, the logical circuits comprise a precharge circuit path traverse the input branch and the second capacitor and the an evaluation circuit path traverses the first capacitor.
 6. A method of controlling a switched capacitor amplifier, comprising: during a first clock cycle: precharging a first output capacitor and driving an output terminal from a second output capacitor; and during a second clock cycle: precharging the second output capacitor, and driving the output terminal from the first output capacitor.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein during the precharging steps, the respective precharging capacitor is electrically isolated from the output terminal. 